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The Carolina Panthers have plenty of things to correct before they take the field again.
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The defense has to get better at pretty much every level, the turnovers have to be cut out, and the run game has to find consistency. But if there’s one player who doesn’t need to worry about improving, it’s wide receiver Jalen Coker.
Coker was the biggest positive for the Panthers in Week 1. The receiver had what is easily the best game of his career, and that’s huge considering the lack of depth the Panthers have with their pass catchers.
There’s plenty of time to talk about the defense, so let’s instead focus on Coker accomplishing something for the first time at the NFL level.
Coker Has First-Career Game with Multiple Scores, 120+ Yards
Coker came into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2024. The receiver worked his way onto the team’s roster and had some good games as a rookie.
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Coker’s best game in 2024 came against the Cowboys when he caught four passes for 110 yards and one touchdown. Before Sunday, that was the only time that Coker had surpassed the 100-yard mark in his career, as the receiver failed to do so in 2025.
Week 1 is also the first time Coker has ever had two receiving touchdowns in an NFL game. Coker only had five total touchdowns before Sunday.
What this means is that Coker really does have another level. The Panthers hoped that was the case, considering they didn’t add a big-name receiver this offseason. Much was banked on Coker taking a step forward, and that’s exactly what it looks like he’s done so far.
It will be interesting to see how defenses handle this offense going forward. Before Sunday, Tetairoa McMillan was pretty much the only player you had to game plan for. However, Coker outperformed McMillan on Sunday, so teams will have to focus on two pass-catchers going forward.
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